Seal-lock



:Seal Lock.

4 Patented June 22, 18.80.

N. PETERS. PHDTO`LITMOGRAPH J 'EES E17/MM2@ 5M UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE M. PATTEN, OF HOLBROOK, MASSACHUSETTS.

SEAL-LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 229,006, dated June 22, 1880.

Application filed December 8, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE M. PATTEN, of Holbrook, county of Norfolk, and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Seal-Locks, of which the following is a specication.

This invention has for its object the following-described improvement in seal-locks. It is an improvement in construction upon that shown in the application of Wm. B. Mason, filed on the27th day of November, 1878, and now pending before the Patent Office.

Reference is made to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this speciication, in explaining the nature of my invention, in which- Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the working parts of the lock when sealed. Fig. 2 shows a side elevation of the workingparts of the lock when open. Fig. 3 represents a cross-section on theline x of Fig. 1, showing the position of the seal in relation to the locking mechanism. Fig. et is a vertical section on the line y y of Fig. l, and Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line z e of Fig. 2.

This invention relates toimprovements in that class of seal-locks which embrace devices constructed as hereinafter described, and arranged and combined so that upon the insertion of a metallic seal before the closing of the lock thelock cannot be opened until the seal has been mutilated and destroyed, thereby indicating any attempt which may be made to tamper therewith. Upon the destruction and removal ofthe seal from the lock it may be opened upon the movement of a thumb-piece.

In the drawings, similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

A is the hasp. It is provided with the notched tongue a', and it is represented as pivoted at a2 to the frame of the lock. This is the construction preferred for padlocks.

0f course, in the locks employing a bolt the relation of the bolt to the case of the lock would be different, as the bolt would have a direct movement to and from the locking mechanism.

Arranged to close into the notch upon the tongue c is the tumbler-catch B, which is pivoted at b to the case of the lock, and its locking end or catch b is automatically held in a position to engage with the notch upon the tongue a by means of the spring b2, which is arranged to bear against its lower end.

The tumbler-catch is further provided with a notch, b3, upon its upper surface, and the locking-pawl C is arranged to be automatically closed by the spring c into the recess or notch` on the tumbler-catch upon the closing of the hasp.

, Arranged below the locking-pawl C is the seal-supporting lever D, which is pivoted at d to the case of the lock, and has a broad surface, d', upon its upper end, and a projection, cl2, extending upwardly from one edge thereof, which is provided with a recess, d3. This sealsupporting lever is arranged to be moved, by mechanism hereinafter described, to a position which shall bring the iiat surface or sealsupport d in line with the narrow apertures d4 (15in the casing of the lock, upon either side thereof, and spring 116 is arranged to automatically throw the seal-supporting lever in contact with the devices for moving the same upon the destruction ofthe seal.

A locking-bar, E, is pivoted at e, is provided with the spring e', which acts to throw it upwardly, and it is so shaped that its end e2 projects beyond the tumbler-catch B into a position to be moved by the end of the tongue c upon the closing of the lock. It is provided, further, with a recess, e3, upon its under edge. This recess, when the lock is closed, is on a line. with the seal-apertures in the case and the seal-supporting surface of the leverD. In width this recess is somewhat less than the main portion of the tongue f of the seal F, but it corresponds in width to the narrow section f ofthe seal. The seal-locking bar E also acts to lift the locking-pawl C by'means of the arm c, which projects from the side of the lockingpawl to a position immediately above the locking-bar E.

Upon the destruction and removal ofthe seal from the lock the tumbler-catch may be tripped by means of the trippin g-lever G, which is pivoted at g to the case of the lock, and is provided with the projection g', which comes in contact with the lower end of the tumbler-catch B and with the projection g2, which comes in contact with the lower end of the seal-su pportn g lever D. It is also supplied with a thumb-piece, g3, which projects downwardly through the slot g4 I in the case of the rock, and it has also a guard,

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g5, which is inside the case of the lock and entirely covers the slot in which the lever is moved in unfastening the lock.

The seal F, as incidentally stated above, is

i preferably formed of soft metal in one piece.

It is provided with the tongue f and the narrow neck f', between the main body of the tongue, but forming a part thereof and the broad portion of the seal. The broad part or tag end of the seal may have stamped or otherwise formed upon it such impressions or seals as may be necessary.

The narrow portion or neck of the seal is that portion which is adapted to be embraced by the recess upon the locking-bar E, the ends e5 upon the lockin g-bar being arranged to shut into the recesses in the seal between the main portion of the'tongue and the tag.

Operation: The seal-supporting surface of the lever D is brought in line with the sealapertures in the casing of the lock. The tongue of the seal is inserted into the aperture d4, and the seal is then pressed inwardlyY until the end of the tongue proj ects outwardly from the aperture d5. The end of the tongue is then seized and drawn outwardly from the case of the lock until the shoulders f2 011 the tag end of the seal come in contact with the casing of the lock. The lock is then in a condition to be closed. Upon the inward movement of the hasp the locking-bar E is moved downwardly, the locking-recess closing upon the neck portion of the seal. The catch B then automatically closes into the notch c, and the locking-pawl C shuts into the recess b3. This position of the parts securely locks the tripping-lever G, as it cannot be moved without moving the seal-supporting lever, and as the seal-supporting lever is held stationary by the locking-bar E and the seal, the neck of the seal lling the space between the seal-supporting surface of the lever and the upper edge of the recess in the locking-bar, making, in effect, a solid, immovable locking-arm, consisting of the locking-lever E, the seal, and the seal-supporting lever.

It will be observed that the seal cannot be withdrawn after the closing of the lock, as the shoulders f2 prevent its being drawn through in the direction of its insertion, and the shoulders f3 upon the tongue end of the seal prevent it from being withdrawn in the opposite direction, as that portion of the locking-bar which forms the sides of the recess acts as a stop. To open the lock, therefore, it is neces sary to remove the seal, and it can only be removed by detaching the tag from the tongue. This can easily be done, as the metal will very quickly tear along the line of the tongue, and this being done, the tongue portion can be drawn through by its projecting end f4. The withdrawal of the seal removes the connection between the seal-supporting lever and the locking-arm, and allows the tripping-lever to move the tumblencatch sufciently to allow the locking-bar to throw out the hasp.

It will be observed that this construction of lock is very desirable for the custom and mail services, to prevent locks from being tampered with or opened by unauthorized persons at unauthorized times who might be in the elnploy of the service, and who may be the proper parties to open the locks at a proper time, but who will be deterred from opening the lock at any other time for any unlawful purpose, as the seal must be destroyed before the lock can be opened.

A seal-lock is intended for use not in protectin g property from professional thieves and burglars, but to guard it from the unlawful inclination of the person having it in his custody to stealor wrongfully appropriate it, and therefore the eectiveness of the lock depends solely upon the seal.

The seal is the guard or tell-tale, and its mutilation or destruction indicates neglect or crime on the part of its custodian. Therefore a key is of little or no value, and it is an advantage to' construct the lock so that after the destruction of the seal it can be opened without the use of one. The improvement, therefore,

of this invention over the construction shown and describedin the said Mason application consists 'in the substitution of a device for unfastening the hasp, which is attached to the vcase of the lock, and has a permanent relation to the other parts of the lock mechanism in lieu of a key and mechanism for its use.

I disclaim the devices common to the inventionI herein set forth, and that of William. B. Mason, as described in his application, above referred to.

Having now described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United Statesl. The combination of the hasp A, the tumbler-catch B, adapted to automatically lock the hasp, as described, a seal-locking device consisting of the lever D, a locking-bar, E, and lever, G, and the seal F, whereby upon the insertion of the seal and the closing of the lock the seal is confined between the lockingbar and seal-supporting lever and the lever G locked, and whereby upon the destruction of the seal upon the movement of the lever G the tumbler-catch is thrown back and the hasp released, all substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. The combination of the seal-supporting lever D, adapted to be locked in position after the insertionv of the seal by the locking-bar E, with the lever or hinged key G, arranged to be locked by the locking of the seal-supporting lever D, as described.

3. The combination of the tumbler-catch B, locking-pawl C, the locking-bar E, the sealholder D, and the lever G with a seal, F, whereby upon closing the lock the seal locks the tumbler catch and the lever, and whereby upon the destruction and removal of the seal the lever may be operated to move the tumbler-catch and disen gage it from the hasp, substantially as and for the purposes described.

4. In a seal-1ock, a lever, G, fastened to the case of the lock, locked by the seal-supporting IOO IOS

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seal-supporting lever, the seal F, and ilus looking device With the lever G, provided with a. projection, g2, whereby the lever Gr is prevented from being moved by the seal, substantially as and for the purposes described.

GEORGE M. PATTEN.

Witnesses:

F. F. RAYMOND, 2d, A. J. OETTINGER. 

